This Fall, NCTA will be sending out communication regarding the brand new membership options that were recently approved by the Board of Directors. This new model offers fewer options and a simpler membership application process with less variables. Now, members will choose their membership level based on how involved they want to be with the national association and what types of information they want to receive. Previously, the membership structure was based on the type of business a member had and the number of trees sold. Take a sneak peek at the new membership options that will be available for 2016! Check your mailboxes this fall for more communication from NCTA about choosing your new membership level for 2016!

Congratulations to all those who brought Christmas Trees and Wreaths to
the National Contests at Richardson Farm in Spring Grove, Ill. To enter
NCTA’s National Contest, growers must first win their state/regional
competitions in the previous 24 months. Trees entered in the NCTA
contest must fit into one of five species categories: True Fir,
Douglas-fir, Spruce, Pine or Other. A panel of judges, made up of
long-time growers and past contest winners, selected the first-, second-
and third-place winners in each category, then attendees of the
regional conference and a panel of consumer judges voted for their
favorite among the species first and second place trees. Those vote
totals determined the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion trees.

Dave Vander Velden of Whispering Pines Tree Farm
in Oconto, Wisc., the first Grand Champion, won the right to choose
which year he would like to present a tree to the White House and chose
2016. As a result, Jay & Glenn Bustard of Bustard's Christmas Trees in Lansdale, Penn. will present a tree to the White House this Christmas in 2015.

The Reserve Champions also followed the same pattern with the first Reserve Champion, Charles Sturgill of Stugrill Tree Farms in West Jefferson, NC choosing to present a tree to the Vice President's residence in 2016. The second Reserve Champion, Rex Korson of Korson's Tree Farm in Sydney, Mich. will present a tree in 2015.

The
National Wreath Contest also took place in Spring Grove and was a very
tight competition. The First Place Grand Champion ribbons in both the
Decorated and Undecorated categories went to one farm: John Chefas of
Hart-T-Tree Farm in Grassy Creek, NC.